Diablo 4 could reportedly launch in April 2023, according to sources speaking to reputable publication Windows Central, and podcast XboxEra. This April 2023 launch window has reportedly been corroborated by multiple parties, alongside new details about the game’s launch cycle and preorders.
According to Windows Central, the launch campaign for Diablo 4 will kick off on 8 December at The Game Awards 2022, at which points preorders will open for everyone. This will include preorders for ‘various digital editions and a premium physical collector’s edition’ that will reportedly contain early access codes for the game’s open beta, set to launch in February 2023.
Windows Central further claims that Blizzard is planning to launch its first major season of additional Diablo 4 content post-launch, with Season One allegedly scheduled for Q3 2023.
While these details are yet to be confirmed, The Game Awards 2022 have previously been discussed as a major launching pad for Diablo 4, via an allegedly leaked internal company document.
Recently leaked footage of the game has also revealed the title as being fully playable, as of September 2022 – indicating a major reveal could be coming shortly.
Read: Diablo 4 gameplay footage appears to leak online
So far, developer Blizzard has kept tight-lipped about progress on Diablo 4. We know it will be a fully-fledged Diablo sequel, complete with the classic dungeon crawling action everyone knows and loves, and that it will including a refreshed ‘Seasons’ system.
In a recent Blizzard blog update, game director Joe Shely discussed the game’s new live service model, and ‘extensive’ season support that will keep players jumping through new quests and battles for months (and potentially years) to come.
‘Diablo IV’s Seasons are modelled after those of Diablo III. When a new season begins, all the characters from the prior season are moved to the Eternal Realm, where you can keep playing, levelling up, and collecting loot,’ Shely said.
‘To play in the new season, you’ll create a fresh character and experience the new seasonal features and content while levelling up alongside other players.’
Should Windows Central’s sources prove accurate, it appears this Seasons mode will arrive in the months following the launch of the game. While yet to be confirmed, we can expected to hear more news of the upcoming title in December 2022.
